REVEREND LISA PORTER

Lisa Porter is an ordained minister and a state licensed officiant. She has married couples all over Maui (and in Mazatlan, Mexico!). She is extremely flexible and is willing to tailor her ceremony to suit your special wishes and prayers. Reverend Lisa especially loves when people bring their own special touches to a wedding, and embraces cultural traditions from around the world, for instance she can start the ceremony by blowing her Triton shell and chanting  the Oli Aloha , traditional to ancient Hawaiians, or you may add  a Hawaiian Lei Exchange, a Handfasting Ritual ( the origin of the term " tying the knot"!) or you may crush a glass underfoot, or jump the broom. You may add any songs, prayers, readings or poems you like.

She also can sing and officiate, usually with her guitar. To discuss ceremonies, please call her at 808-572-4020 or email at lisaporter01@hawaii.rr.com

SPECIAL SERVICES (additional fee)
- sing two songs a cappella

BELOW IS A SAMPLE SERVICE

Aloha everyone, and welcome to this beautiful corner of paradise, as we gather to celebrate and rejoice with (your names here) on their wedding day.

Let's take a moment to take a deep breath, look around, hear the lapping of the waves on the beach, the birds singing, children laughing, let go of all your anxieties or concerns leading up to this moment, release all fears of the future or the past, be here in the moment with each other. How lucky we are to be so blessed in this moment, at one with nature and each other.

(Your names here), you have chosen to make today a very special day in your lives. There is an ancient Chinese proverb that says, "A journey of a thousand days begins with a single step." Today, with the exchange of vows and symbols, you take the first step in a lifetime journey together as husband and wife. I truly believe that souls are attracted to one another for a spiritual purpose, and when two people marry, they create between them a spirit of love that is unique and precious. And though love has singled you out with it's caress, it also binds you and makes you one with all of humanity, as love is the force that harmonizes all people together in peace.

Marriage is a commitment to life and to the best that two people can find and bring out of each other. It offers opportunities for growth and sharing that no other human relationship can equal, a physical and emotional joining that is promised for a lifetime. Within the circle of it's love, marriage encompasses all of life's most important relationships. A husband and a wife are each other's best friend, confidant lover teacher and listener. Marriage deepens and enriches all facets of life, as it adds depth and meaning to our lives. Happiness is fuller, memories are fresher, commitment is stronger. Marriage encourages new life and new experiences, and new ways of expressing love through all the many seasons of life. Marriage is a promise made in the hearts of two people who love each other, and it truly does take a lifetime to fulfill.

The marriage covenant is not to be entered into lightly. It should be approached thoughtfully and seriously, with a deep realization of it's obligations and responsibilities. Do you (your names here) come here of your own free will, to acknowledge through marriage the love and commitment that you share?

In Hawaii the lei is symbol of love. we give you a lei when you arrive to show that we're happy you are here, we give you a lei when you leave, to say we hope you will return soon, and pretty much any other excuse we can find. In a wedding, they have extra special meaning. The flowers of the lei will only last a day or two and they are gone. Our lives are like the lei, in the span of eternity. So treat each other with tender consideration, look for the best in each other, never miss an opportunity to show your love and respect for one another, and your marriage will last. Let the lei you now give be an outward manifestation of the love in your hearts.

(Optional) Our family and friends can be an invaluable help in making a successful life together. Do you all promise to help and support this couple in keeping their vows to each other? If so, please say "we promise."

You may write your owns vows or use the traditional vows: I_____take you_____ to be my wife/husband , and in so doing commit my life to you, for better or worse, for richer or poor, in sickness and in health, I promise to love and cherish you for as long as I breathe.

Wedding rings are the age old symbol of eternal love, without beginning or end. They are the emblem of the love that you share. Whenever you look at the beauty of these rings, remember, the love in hearts, the commitment that you feel today, and remember that whatever challenge you face, if you look for the solution in Love, that is where you will find it. Please place the ring on her/his finger and repeat after me; ___I give you this ring as a  symbol of my vow to love and respect you, to support and care for you, to listen to you, and to be your faithful, loving friend, both now and forever. With this ring, I thee wed.

Repeat for groom

We who have shared this moment with you, and those who couldn't be here in person but are surely here in spirit, hope that the memory of this moment lives in your hearts forever. May you be a blessing and a comfort to each other, sharers in each other's joys, consolers in each other's sorrows , helpers to each other through all the challenges of life. May you always remember, in all the years to come, how very lucky you were to have found each other, so that in your love and support of each other, you can enable each other to acheive your highest potential as human beings, able to strive more, to endure more , to achieve more and to be more perfectly the unique individuals you are.

Marriage is much like a beautiful garden, it requires hard work and diligence and paying attention. There will be days when you feel like you weeded all day, and then there will be the days you just enjoy watching your flowers grow. Don't be afraid of the natural ebb and flow of life. Trust each other and trust life. And don't just share that love with each other, but together, let that glow of love reach out and touch and enrich the lives of those around you, much as the waters of this ocean touch and enrich the many shores of our world. May you have patience, tolerance and understanding. May your home be a place of openness and honesty, of peace and contentment, and most of all, laughter. May you be  blessed  with more joy than you ever thought possible.

Pronouncement

Maui Ministers